According to David Marshall, managing and creative director of London’s David Marshall Jewelry, a 2-carat brilliant-cut diamond may not be literally double the size of a 1-carat version (8.1 millimeters in diameter compared to 6.4), but it will certainly look bigger, and then some. “Although the stone is only 1.7 mm bigger in diameter, when mounted into a ring, a 2-carat stone will have a much bigger visual effect,” he explains. People see 50% more diamond and sparkle with a 2-carat stone, he says—but it will cost well over 50% more due to its rarity, so it’s a big decision to make when the time comes to ring-shop. Some could cost even four times as much as a 1-carat of the same quality.

However, something else to keep in mind is that the size difference between 1-carat and 2-carat diamond engagement rings is less noticeable with unique shapes like heart, marquise, or pear because the diamond is spread out more evenly over a bigger surface. Either way you go, it comes down to personal preference. Keep scrolling to check out a visual of what a 1-carat diamond ring looks like compared to a 2-carat version.